Historic Profile: The Sharei Zedeck Synagogue remains a tangible link to the once thriving Orthodox Jewish population in near north Minneapolis. It was one of four synagogues built on the near north side in the early park of the twentieth-century. The simplicity of Sharei Zedeck’s design was most likely influenced by financial hardships suffered during the Great Depression. The plain brick exterior is augmented by two massive stone arches which dominate the façade surrounding the double-leaf doors. The arches are decorated with menorahs arranged around a center brick pilaster. The framing of the building represents an early use of structural glued laminated timber arches which were widely used beginning in the 1950s. The synagogue was sold in 1969 to St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church, reflecting the transition of the near north neighborhood from a Jewish to an African-American community.

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